BSc (Hons), MLitt, PhD
Head of Trial Management
- About
-
- Email Address
- s.c.cotton@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 438178
- Office Address
-
Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation, Third floor, Health Sciences Building
Foresterhill Campus
Foresterhill
AB25 2ZD
- School/Department
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Biography
I joined HSRU in 2007 as a trial manager. I graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a BSc in Health Sciences in 1993, an MLitt in 1995, and a PhD in 2007. Prior to joining the Unit, I worked in the Department of Public Health at the University of Aberdeen.
I am Head of Trial Management/Senior Trial Manager within CHaRT supporting the portfolio of trials.
Previously I was the Deputy Senior Trial Manager and supported a number of studies including RAACENO, EMPOWER and ELECTRIC (all now completed). I also worked as trial manager on a number of CHaRT trials, including ALLEGRO, BICS, TWICS, CLASS, NIAMI, FOCCUS, REFLUX and the Cysteamine in CF study.
I am interested in methodological research that can be carried out alongside existing trials, including the provision of information to potential participants and strategies to increase response rates.
Qualifications
- BSc Health Sciences1993 - University of Aberdeen
- MLitt by research1994 - University of Aberdeen
- PhD Public Health2008 - University of Aberdeen
- Research
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Research Overview
Trial methodology & trial management
Research Areas
Applied Health Sciences
Nutrition and Health
Current Research
I am the Senior Trial Manager within CHaRT supporting the portfolio of trials. I also currently work on the BICS trial - a multicentre trial investigating the effectiveness of the beta-blocker bisoprolol in preventing exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
I am interested in methodological research that can be carried out alongside existing trials, including the provision of information to potential participants and strategies to increase response rates.
Past Research
Since joining the Unit I have worked on a number of trials that have now been completed.
TWICS - a multicentre trial investigating the effectiveness of low dose oral theophylline as an adjunct to inhaled corticosteroids in preventing exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
CLASS - a multicentre trial comparing foam sclerotherapy and endovenous laser ablation with conventional surgery in patients with varicose veins;
NIAMI - a phase II multicentre trial investigating whether an intravenous injection of sodium nitrite given immediately before the infarct related artery is opened reduces ischaemia reperfusion injury in patients with myocardial infarction;
FOCCUS - a pragmatic multi-centred randomised controlled trial of surgical HDU care versus HDU care delivered in an ICU and pre-operative fluid loading in high-risk patients undergoing major elective surgery
REFLUX - a multi-centre randomised trial comparing a policy of relatively early laparoscopic surgery with a continued best medical management policy for people with more severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
The Cysteamine in CF study - a single-centre, single group open label study of oral cysteamine in patients with Cystic Fibrosis.
I also supported RAACENO, EMPOWER and ELECTRIC (all now completed) as senior trial manager.
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
I have supervised a number of undergraduate and Masters level research projects, including topics such as provision of information to potential participants, strategies to increase response rates, and outcome measures.
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Outwith the University, I am a faculty member on the Edinburgh Clinical Trial Management Course (ECTMC).
- Publications
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Page 1 of 13 Results 1 to 10 of 122
Text messaging with or without financial incentives versus a waitlist control for weight loss in men: cost-effectiveness analysis of the Game of Stones randomised controlled trial
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, vol. 54, 101328Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101328
Bisoprolol for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at high risk of exacerbation: the BICS RCT
Health Technology Assessment, vol. 29, no. 17Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe PUrE Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) 1: Clinical and cost-effectiveness of Flexible Ureterorenoscopy and Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy for lower pole stones ≤10mm.
European UrologyContributions to Journals: ArticlesSecondary analysis of the Game of Stones trial for men with obesity: Examining moderator effects and exploratory outcomes
ObesityContributions to Journals: ArticlesPatients and health care professionals’ perception of weekly prophylactic catheter washout in adults living with long-term catheters: Qualitative Study of the CATHETER II Trial
BMJ Open, vol. 15, no. 4, e087206Contributions to Journals: ArticlesCATHETER II, a randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of various washout policies versus no washout policy in preventing catheter associated complications in adults living with long term catheters
European Association of Urology Annual Congress 2025, pp. A0090Contributions to Conferences: AbstractsUpdated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy, Flexible Ureterorenoscopy, and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for Lower Pole Renal Stones
European UrologyContributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2025.01.020
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Intravenous Lidocaine for Gut Function Recovery in Colonic Surgery: A Health Economic Evaluation of the ALLEGRO Randomised Clinical Trial
BMJ Open, vol. 15, no. 2, e088298Contributions to Journals: ArticlesIntravenous lidocaine for gut function recovery in colonic surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial
JAMA, vol. 333, no. 1, pp. 39-48Contributions to Journals: ArticlesLaparoscopic cholecystectomy versus conservative management for uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones: economic evaluation based on the C-GALL trial
British Journal of Surgery, vol. 112, no. 1, znae293Contributions to Journals: Articles